seraphcelene | [meta]:TV, Democracy and Ballroom Dancing

I don't watch 'Reality TV' often. I just don't find it terribly interesting. Of what I will watch, a very limited list (ANTM, The Amazing Race, Dancing with the Stars, occasionally Celebrity Fit Club), I most dislike anything that gives America a chance to vote. It is, among other things, why I don't watch American Idol. America, en masse, is stupid. Hello, look at our stupendously retarded leader. Wait, let me take that back, it's an insult to retarded people everywhere.

Well, I will be striking off one more 'Reality' show from my list next week, leaving my Tuesday nights wide open for a new show. In case you aren't in the know, Vivica Fox was voted off the dance floor last night. Supremely dumb move, America. Go ahead and show your severe lack of judgment to the whole entire world. Oh, wait, sorry, Dubya is still president.

I understand that these things are largely popularity contests, further supporting my theory that we never actually progress beyond high school, but here's a crazy idea, how about we vote off people who can't dance. How about that? Why is Sara Evans, adorable though she may be, still on the show? She had a great showing last week with the Jive that looked more like Country/Western dancing, but hey, at least it was good. However, every other performance has been sub par, including the moody and disastrously stiff, Paso Doble. Her performance was the worse of the night. She really should have done the waltz. I will admit that Vivica's Paso wasn't her best performance but it was better than Sara's AND her performance's in general have been better throughout. SO, What the FUCK, America? What are you thinking?! Jerry Springer, at least, has the performance aspect of dancing down pact. He plays characters, he performs for us. Sarah Evans is totally robotic and without a lick of personality up there. That Jive was THE ONLY thing with any real flavor.

Now, I've heard it bantered about that the reason Ms. Fox got the boot was because she's black. The bottom two last night were black. Now, America, don't be totally stupid. It's not really a racist thing. Not like that. I think she did get booted because she is black, but not because The People won't vote for a black person, after all Emmett Smith is doing really well. No, the problem is the audience. The people most likely to vote for Vivica Fox don't watch Dancing with the Stars. Vivica's fans don’t watch, she doesn't get the vote and off she goes. Those celebs with broader, mainstream appeal are going to be the ones who remain: Jerry Springer and Emmett Smith. who have huge audiences. Then you get the teen girls who love the Willa Ford and Mario Lopez. And then you get the older ladies who adore Mario and Joey Lawrence because they are just so darn cute AND they can shake their money makers. Plus, those guys get the highest judges scores and that keeps them relatively safe from the uneducated whims of America. Monique squeezes through, I think, also because of those tweens who break out into songs from High School Musical. But mark my words, she won't last much longer if she doesn't really pull out all of the stops and bring her A game. She just isn't popular enough.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for the democratic process and voting and the voice of The People. I believe The People have every right to disagree with me and if we get a dumb ass or Hollywood Muscle Head voted into office, well, that's the Democratic process at work and I'll be living overseas until the next election. But, democracy is still a good thing. The problem comes when The People vote without really considering the evidence or the consequences. They vote according to party lines because it's the way their parents voted or its who they are affiliated with, not that they listen to or actually care about the issues. Not that they actually do the research to go and find out what it is they are actually voting for. They vote because you have a nice smile or a full head of hair, or maybe you're just one of the good ole' boys from down yonder. And before you say it, yes, I do. I read up as much as I can before I vote and if I get to the polls and don't know enough about a particular issue then I don't vote on it. Simple as that. My aunt used to call me when a measure was on the ballot that concerned teachers and tell me how to vote. I'd listen and politely ignore whatever her suggestions were because I HAD to do the research. I wasn't interested in blindly casting a vote. I take voting very seriously and I refuse to be uninformed.

Dancing with the Stars is easy, people. You watch the dances and then you pick the better dancers. As the weeks progress, you don't judge them on one performance, you have to take into consideration everything. There's a history now, you see. And when you vote just because 'so and so' is in the line-up, well, then, you are dumb. Yes, I said it. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

I am afraid for us, America. Very, very afraid. How can I trust you to get the important stuff right if you can't even figure out Dancing with the Stars.

But, hey, I've got bigger problems, I still watch the train wreck that is ANTM, Dubya is still president, and Jack Ass is doing really well at the cinema.